Global Real Estate & Economy Brief — 2026-01-30

🌍 At a Glance

• US Fed Funds Rate: 3.72 (as of 2025-12-01)
• US 30Y Mortgage: 6.1 (as of 2026-01-29)
• ECB Policy Rate: 2.0 [FRED:ECBDFR] as of 2026-01-29
• BoE Bank Rate: 3.75 (as of 2025-12-18)

🇺🇸 United States

• Should We All Be ‘House Burping’? — The German air quality practice “lüften” is trending on social media, promoting better home ventilation.
• People Are Getting Worried About Household Mold. Should You Be? — Despite rising searches for mold toxicity, actual mold-related illnesses are likely not increasing.
• Homes for Sale in New York and New Jersey — Featured properties include a five-bedroom home in Haddonfield, N.J., and a six-bedroom in Jamesport, N.Y.

🇪🇺 Europe

• Reform UK council chair resigns after ‘illegally renting out unsafe properties’ — Edward Harris resigned as Reform UK council chair after illegally renting out unsafe properties that failed to meet basic living standards.
• Nearly 150 flood alerts in place across England in aftermath of Storm Chandra — Nearly 150 flood alerts are active across England following Storm Chandra, with 66 flood warnings issued by the Met Office.
• Small risk of severe acute pancreatitis with weight-loss jabs, UK regulator warns — The UK regulator warns of a small risk of severe acute pancreatitis associated with weight-loss injections and diabetes medications.

🌏 Asia

• Millions to get £150 off energy bills for further five years — The UK government will extend a £150 energy bill discount for six million low-income households for another five years.
• Apple reports best-ever iPhone sales as Mac dips — Apple achieved record iPhone sales, although its Mac and wearable tech sales experienced a decline.
• Boss of Post Office IT scandal firm Fujitsu to step down — Paul Patterson will transition to chairing Fujitsu's UK business amid the Post Office IT scandal inquiry.

🎯 GPT Strategy

🇺🇸 United States

• **Positioning Idea:** Invest in residential REITs focusing on properties with advanced ventilation systems to meet growing health-conscious consumer preferences.
• **Risk Note:** Regulatory changes in building codes may impact costs.
• **Positioning Idea:** Consider ETFs focused on home improvement and construction materials, as homeowners may invest in mold prevention and ventilation upgrades.

🇪🇺 Europe

• **Position in UK Residential REITs**: Focus on properties with strong safety standards and compliance; risk of regulatory scrutiny could impact lower-quality landlords.
• **Invest in Infrastructure ETFs**: Target funds focused on flood resilience and climate adaptation projects; risk of increased costs due to regulatory changes in environmental standards.
• **Consider Healthcare REITs**: Look at those investing in facilities for chronic conditions; risk of regulatory shifts affecting drug approvals and treatment protocols.

🌏 Asia

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in UK-focused REITs that cater to low-income housing, benefiting from government support for energy costs.
• **Risk Note:** Economic downturns could impact tenant stability.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore ETFs focused on consumer electronics and technology sectors, capitalizing on Apple's strong iPhone sales despite declines in other areas.

Not financial advice. Educational insights only.